KUALA LUMPUR – Fresh from settling her million-ringgit debt to a Paris-based film production company earlier this year, women development minister Datuk Seri Rina Harun is now being sued by a former “good friend”.
Plaintiff Ida Rahayu Md Noor is demanding RM130,000 cash, a 5% interest on the amount for every year the sum is not settled, legal cost, and any further relief deemed appropriate by the court.
This is after Ida Rahayu accused the women, family and community development minister for failing to repay her debt of the same amount that was borrowed over 12 years ago.
In her statement of claim filed at the Shah Alam Sessions Court on August 30, Ida Rahayu claimed that in May 2009, Rina had sought a personal loan amounting to RM130,000 as part of her advance payment to purchase a JM Bariani House Alamanda business franchise from Secret Heritage Sdn Bhd.
The outlet is addressed at Alamanda Putrajaya Shopping Centre.
Both of them, good friends at material time according to the court document, then signed an agreement on May 26, 2009, which included several terms and conditions on the repayment method.
Among others, the agreement stipulates that Rina is to repay RM1,000 a month for 130 months beginning March 2010, with the final repayment to be completed on October 1 this year.
However, in 2011, Rina supposedly requested Ida Rahayu to postpone the repayment to a future date on the excuse that her business was in the red. The state of claims also noted that the business ceased operation between 2011 and 2012.
Ida Rahayu then allowed for the postponement of repayment, with both parties agreeing that the loan has to be repaid as soon as the plaintiff makes a written demand.
The claimant also noted that in the original loan agreement, it is stated that Ida Rahayu is entitled to demand repayment if the defendant has breached any of the terms or if no repayment has been made.
On July 6, Ida Rahayu served a demand notice to Rina seeking her to settle her debt. A week later, the minister replied, denying the loan repayment demands made by the former.
With Rina failing to repay her debt, Ida Rahayu claims she has suffered losses and, hence, is demanding the debt be settled.
Previously, Rina was served a bankruptcy notice for debts owed to a Paris-based film and television programme production company, Sarl Novovision, to the tune of RM1,340,642.02.
In February this year, a lawyer representing the firm claims Rina has settled her debt, raising questions of corruption, with several quarters demanding answers as to how the minister was able to repay such a huge amount.
Last month, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the graft case involving Rina has been closed after investigations found no wrongdoing on her part, and considers the matter resolved. – The Vibes, October 27, 2021
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